Next month, Trestman is leaving Tucker’s continued employment a question.

Thanks for all the support, boss.

Trestman said he didn’t want anybody to read anything into what he had to say -- or didn’t have to say -- about his coaches or players. Sorry. Too late. It’s been read into, and it’s not complimentary of Trestman, and it’s his own fault.

At the season autopsy news conference, Trestman talked up Tucker, but didn’t necessarily say he would keep his job. Perfect: The Bears can’t figure out a coaching fit for a guy who couldn’t teach run fits.

Which reminds me: “Run fits’’ is football-speak for getting to the right place. That’s all it is. Read the playbook. Go here. Or there. “Run fits’’ sounds complicated, but it simply reveals how stupid the Bears' defensive situation became. They play a one-gap defense, which means there’s one place that each defensive player has to fit, but by the end of the year, Tucker’s defense still couldn’t count to one.

But that’s not why you called. I appreciate Trestman’s candor and painfully detailed explanation of how he will painfully examine each detail, but he screwed up with his comments, and here’s why:

Who would want to work for a coach who yanks his public support like that?

Let’s say Trestman whacks Tucker next month after raving about the way he worked through a difficult situation. Then Trestman has to find another defensive coordinator. How does Trestman explain to a potential assistant that he’s not a backstabber? How does he at least convince a potential hire that he can be trusted?

Tucker's defense was pathetic by the end fo the season. The Bears had the worst run defense in the league. But it was bad when Trestman told the world that Tucker was doing an "amazing'' job.

And now Trestman might can Tucker?

Why would any assistant coach want to work for a head coach who sounds like he has your back but capriciously, publicly and painfully doesn’t?

Maybe Trestman previously explained to every assistant that every coach would be reviewed after every season and might be fired, even after one season. We haven’t heard that, but let’s say that’s the case. Let’s say the assistant coaches knew their money was guaranteed, even if their Halas Hall chairs weren’t.

Fine, but that still would seem to leave Trestman with a credibility issue -- an “amazing’’ communication problem for such a well-spoken person:

How would we or his coaches or his players know what’s true and what’s a crock?

Trestman said “decisions will be made when we have to make them.’’ Yeah, sure, there’s still another nine months until someone’s about to kill the Bears for 150 rushing yards.

Oh, and speaking of not making decisions until you have to make them, how do you connect those dots on second down in Minnesota? I’ll hang up and listen for my hummena-hummena-hummena.

Yes, Jay Cutler, it’s always about winning championships AFTER you get your money.

General manager Phil Emery said he was excited by Lance Briggs’ words after the season, and while I’m not sure exactly what Briggs said, I’d guess “Buffet’s open!’’

Emery said Julius Peppers had an “8-8 season,’’ but clarified that he didn’t call Peppers an “8-8 player.’’ Presumably, Emery didn’t want anyone to think that Peppers made a difference in eight games instead of, I don’t know, four. Peppers used to be unblockable, but now he’s Shea McClellin.

Emery might’ve been right about Henry Melton’s off-field issues and focus, but it still sounded like a GM negotiating down the price for a guy playing the most important position on a historically bad defense.

Emery talked up linebacker D.J. Williams, who didn’t play after Week 6, which is so telling about the depth Emery provided Tucker: A player looks better injured than active.